Published: 17 December 2013

At least 63 765 hectares have been put under tobacco so far for the 2013/2014 cropping season in the nine growing provinces, up from 40 316 at the same time last year.

Mashonaland West province has the largest area with 22 608 hectares followed by Mashonaland East with 21 901 hectares.

A tobacco weekly report released by the ministry's Crop Production department shows that of the total hectarage, 13 648 ha are under irrigated tobacco compared to 12 994ha same time last year. At least 50 117 hectares are under the dry land crop compared to 27 322 ha same time last year.

Farmers in Mashonaland West province are already reaping and curing the crop that was planted early.

In Mashonaland East, high temperatures have resulted in temporary suspension of transplanting of tobacco with farmers preoccupied with weeding, top dressing and suckering.

In some parts of Masvingo province, farmers are still preparing land to plant tobacco. In 2013 farmers produced 166, 5 million kgs of tobacco, which was a 15 percent increase from 144, 5 million kgs the previous year.

The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board has said it is expecting more than 50 000 new tobacco growers this season, up from 90 000 last year.

Tobacco is one of Zimbabwe's major agricultural exports, accounting for 10, 7 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

Major export destinations for Zimbabwean tobacco include China, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Mauritius and Russia.

- New Ziana

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